After Dark (Cruzados album) explained

After Dark
Type:album
Artist:Cruzados
Cover:After Dark (Cruzados album).jpg
Released:1987
Recorded:Ocean Way, The Complex, Baby-O, Record One, Summa, Rock Steady, Music Grinder Studios, and Studio One
Genre:Chicano rock, rock
Length:38:09
Label:Arista[1]
Producer:Greg Ladanyi, Waddy Wachtel, Rodney Mills, Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg
Prev Title:Cruzados
Prev Year:1985
Next Title:Unreleased Early Recordings
Next Year:2001

After Dark is the second album by the American band Cruzados, released in 1987.[2] [3] "Bed of Lies" reached No. 4 on Billboards Album Rock Tracks chart; "Small Town Love" peaked at No. 39.[4] The band supported the album with a North American tour that included a leg opening for Fleetwood Mac.[5] [6] They broke up the following year.[7]

Production

The album was produced by Greg Ladanyi, Waddy Wachtel, Rodney Mills, Tom Kelly, and Billy Steinberg. Marshall Rohner replaced Steven Hufsteter on lead guitar.[1] "Road of Truth" contains contributions from JD Souther on backing vocals and Paul Butterfield on harmonica; Souther was in the same studio as Cruzados and told the band that he wanted to sing on the track.[8] It was Butterfield's final recording.[9] Pat Benatar sang on "I Want Your World to Turn".

The songs were inspired by Tito Larriva's years living in El Paso and Mexico City.[10] "Blue Sofa" was originally done by his band the Plugz. "Bed of Lies" was cowritten by Lynne Marie Stewart.[11]

Critical reception

Trouser Press called the album "a plain but solid effort" aside from "Time for Waiting", opining that it "sounds nauseatingly like the Eagles."[12] The Los Angeles Times noted the "Springsteen-Mellencamp-Petty territory," writing that "Larriva has developed into a good-enough singer and songwriter in the Little Steven/Southside Johnny vein that the record transcends its obvious reference points." The San Diego Union-Tribune stated that "Cruzados play with the fire of the young Rolling Stones, but the fervor is wasted on a collection of weak songs."[13]

The St. Petersburg Times wrote that Larriva's "desperate vocals and yearning lyrics—coupled with the group's leftover punk instincts—gives After Dark a taut, emotional edge that California-rock always lacked."[14] The Chicago Sun-Times concluded that Larriva "is making music with far greater focus and immediacy than last time through." The Omaha World-Herald determined that "despite the radio-friendly, slick production work ... several tunes here are membrane-thin in staying power."[15] The Houston Chronicle labeled the album "honest, lyrically incisive music that hoists [the band] onto the cutting edge of contemporary American rock."

Track listing

All songs written by Tito Larriva, except where noted.

  1. "Small Town Love" (Larriva, Tony Marsico) – 3:57
  2. "Bed of Lies" (Larriva, L. Stewart) – 3:36
  3. "Road of Truth" (Larriva, Marsico) – 3:08
  4. "Last Ride" (Marshall Rohner, Larriva, Marsico) – 3:57
  5. "Time for Waiting" – 3:57
  6. "Young and on Fire" – 3:06
  7. "Summer's Come, Summer's Gone" – 3:36
  8. "I Want Your World to Turn" (Tom Kelly, Billy Steinberg) – 4:13
  9. "Chains of Freedom" – 3:47
  10. "Blue Sofa (Still a Fool)" – 4:58

Personnel

Additional personnel

Production

Notes and References

  1. News: Burliuk . Greg . After Dark Cruzados . The Kingston Whig-Standard . 15 Aug 1987 . Magazine . 1.
  2. Web site: The Cruzados Biography, Songs, & Albums. AllMusic.
  3. News: Goldstein . Patrick . POP EYE . Los Angeles Times . 17 May 1987 . Calendar . 68.
  4. Web site: Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008. Joel. Whitburn. July 30, 2008. Hal Leonard Corporation. Google Books.
  5. News: Tomlinson . Stuart . CRUZADOS . The Oregonian . August 21, 1987 . E10.
  6. News: MacDonald . Patrick . THE LATEST LINEUP – NEWEST VERSION OF THE DURABLE FLEETWOOD MAC TO END TOUR HERE . The Seattle Times . December 18, 1987 . Tempo . 3.
  7. Web site: Latin Music: Musicians, Genres, and Themes [2 volumes]]. Ilan. Stavans. July 29, 2014. ABC-CLIO. Google Books.
  8. News: Coleman . Mark . The tough-rocking Cruzados... . Sun-Sentinel . Rolling Stone . 3 July 1987 . FEATURES SHOWTIME . 39.
  9. News: Britt . Bruce . FAREWELL TO HARMONICIST BUTTERFIELD . Philadelphia Daily News . Los Angeles Daily News . 17 Aug 1987 . Features . 55.
  10. News: Hochman . Steve . CRUZADOS' ROOTS GROW PAST EAST L.A. BORDERS . Los Angeles Times . 29 Aug 1987 . Calendar . 10.
  11. News: Terry . Carol Burton . You'll be able to see Lynne Stewart... . Newsday . 13 Sep 1987 . TV PLUS . 85.
  12. Web site: Cruzados . Trouser Press . 30 July 2022.
  13. News: Peterson . Karla . Weightless songs hinder Cruzados . The San Diego Union-Tribune . July 19, 1987 . E3.
  14. News: Okamoto . David . Engaging roots-rock . St. Petersburg Times . 19 July 1987 . 2F.
  15. News: Healy . James . Cruzados, 'After Dark' . Omaha World-Herald . July 19, 1987 . Entertainment.

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